For the International Youth Day and Linggo ng Kabataan 2023, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte asked the youth to reduce their carbon footprint and continue raising their voices to advocate for the environment.

(Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)

“As the world confronts a climate crisis, we must acknowledge the youth's ability to affect change,” the official said on Monday, Aug. 14, in her message for the Linggo ng Kabataan.

“By highlighting the importance of ‘Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World,’ may we inspire the next generation of Filipinos to reduce their carbon footprint consciously and conserve natural resources,” she added.

The celebration, the Vice President stressed, is meant to highlight the youth’s “talent, creativity, and potential for driving positive change.”

She also expressed hope that they would build “a more sustainable future for our nation.”

Duterte, who is also the Education chief in a concurrent capacity, urged the youth to use their education to make an “impactful difference” to the lives of Filipinos.

“I urge you to courageously assume your role as environmental stewards and future leaders of the country and find ways to advocate for climate action,” she said.

“May you continue using your voices and abilities and serve as a role model among your peers and within your families and communities,” the official added.

Sharing that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has collaborated with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other partners, Duterte took pride in launching the “Pagbabago: A Million Learners and Trees Campaign.”

The program, she said, “aims to encourage Filipinos from all walks of life to plant one million trees by 2028, in addition to promoting the importance of education and dental health.”

She called on the youth to “work together” in the common goal “to build healthier and more resilient communities.”